Today the FAA under Acting Administrator, Michael Huerta, issued the final rule intended to address the longstanding issue of pilot rest, or lack thereof. According to the FAA’s press release, the key components of the final rule (applicable to commercial passenger flights) are:

Varying flight and duty requirements based on what time the pilot’s day begins;

Decreased Flight Duty Periods;

Increased Flight Time Limits ;

Increased Minimum Rest Periods;

Revised Cumulative Flight and Duty Time Limits; and

Requirements that Pilots “affirmatively state” that they are physically fit for flight.

Furthermore, the FAA would permit airlines to develop an alternative way of mitigating fatigue if based on data and science.